


truth in the cups

by ConvenientAlias



Category: Marco Polo (TV)
Genre: Drinking Games, Enemy Lovers, F/F, Power Imbalance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 17:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14383557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: “It’s a drinking game,” Chabi says. “Whenever I guess a truth about you, you will drink.”





	truth in the cups

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alexandria (heartfullofelves)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/gifts).



“It’s a drinking game,” Chabi says. “Whenever I guess a truth about you, you will drink.”

Mei Lin nods. She does not know why Chabi would want to play friendly with her, now that not only has Mei Lin betrayed her but Chabi has already quashed her rebellion and collared her. But she will play any game Chabi proposes.

The cups are small enough and all lined neatly in a crescent in front of her. The wine inside is rice wine, not the fermented mare’s milk they serve so often in Khanbaliq. It will taste good. Mei Lin will swallow it.

Chabi smiles. “Very good. You love Ling-Ling.”

This is not a secret. Mei Lin drinks. That is just gloating on Chabi’s part, a cheap shot. She will get drunk on Chabi’s smugness if she has to, no matter how much it burns on the way down.

“You did not love Jia Sidao.”

Mei Lin hesitates. That is a half truth that she wishes were the whole truth. She takes the whole shot because Jia Sidao is dead, loyalty to him won’t do him any good.

Chabi nods with satisfaction. Whatever she wants to win from this game, she will win it. There is no rule that makes her drink. She can draw this out as long as she wants.

“You envy me,” Chabi says.

Is that something Mei Lin should drink to? Behind Chabi, guards shift anxiously. Mei Lin drinks. Chabi can consider it a compliment.

“You think I am beautiful.”

This is not even a question. Not to drink would be to insult the Empress.

Chabi tilts her head. With the same little smile that the first question evoked, she says, “You hate me.”

Now the guards are fully alert. Perhaps they expect they will have to do something.

Mei Lin does not drink. Chabi knows, and Mei Lin knows, and they know they know, that she is full of hate, of anger, of confusion, that her feelings toward Chabi are a tangled mess and she will forever resent Chabi for making her feel anything at all. But she cannot drink to that. She cannot admit to hating the Empress, and Chabi knows that as well.

Chabi steeples her fingers. She says, “You will go to bed with me tonight.”

Mei Lin pours the shot down faster than any of the others, and wipes the moisture from her lips.

Chabi stands. She walks slowly around the low table to Mei Lin’s side. Taking Mei Lin’s chin in her hands, she quietly kisses her lips. Mei Lin wonders if she likes the taste of rice wine or just the expression of her control. It is not genuine affection. It never is, from her.

Chabi pulls back. “You love me.”

This is not true. This may never really be true. Mei Lin is not sure she has ever loved anyone, not in the way Chabi means.

Mei Lin drinks.


End file.
